Progress updates on my alternative End to End, from north-west Scotland to south-east England

21 May 2010

Day 8: Tiree to Lochgilphead

The ferry to Oban took me and Mark into summer. On the mainland it was glorious sunny weather, Scotland at its May best. After the windswept austerity of the Hebrides it was a surprise to see things like trees, and our own shadows, again.

The scenery south from Oban was wonderful, lochy and green and lush. And hilly.

The direction signs in this part of Scotland are in Gaelic and English. In a few places they're in Idiot, too.

We stopped at the ancient settlement of Kilmartin to admire their mini-Stonehenge. The stones are precisely aligned so that on the morning of solstice each summer, the sunrise is obscured behind the wood.

We ended with a run alongside the Crinan canal - a real west coast hidden gem - to Lochgilphead, for a fine curry and an enthusiastic discussion with our friendly Bangladeshi maitre d' about cricket.